Editorial: Help curb underage drinking

Monday

Apr 28, 2008 at 12:01 AMApr 28, 2008 at 12:25 PM

Officials, parents and teens should all work on problem

Proms. Graduation. Summer vacation.

It’s a popular time of year for underage drinking, and parents, teenagers and local officials must embrace a multi-pronged approach to address the problem, as suggested by Oneida County STOP-DWI Coordinator Michael Colangelo.

* Parents need to have a frank discussion with their teenagers about the consequences of drinking and driving, ranging from legal troubles to tragic results that can snuff out a bright future. A good idea, too, is to talk to them from the standpoint of people who love them and would be devastated if anything were to happen.

* School districts like New Hartford and others that have toughened policies on drinking are on the right track. These policies must be enforced, and administrators must let students know in advance that drinking won’t be tolerated at proms or other school events and can ruin the memorable experience it’s supposed to be.

* Community programs like the Teen Traffic Safety course at SUNYIT, along with Oneida County’s STOP-DWI efforts and demonstrations by local law enforcement and others must continue to get the message across to teens about the consequences of underage drinking.

* And finally, there’s peer pressure. It can be tough for young people to stand up against what has become part of teen culture, but sometimes one right thinker can influence others.

Events such as proms and graduation are special and teenagers do not need alcohol to enjoy them. Even one drink can be enough to give someone a blood alcohol content of .02 or higher, the legal limit for minors under the state’s zero-tolerance law.

That information should be enough, but despite warnings, some youths continue to illegally consume alcohol, and in some cases, get behind the wheel after doing so.

Stephen Smith, Insight House director of special projects, said alcohol kills more children than all illegal drugs combined. And unfortunately, like many other regions, the Mohawk Valley has witnessed that first hand in numerous cases.

By taking and maintaining a proactive approach when dealing with underage drinking, parents, officials and teens together can help stop the problem before it starts.